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Homemade Olive Tapenade Pizza

Fresh homemade pizza is always a treat, especially with a soft chewy homemade pizza crust! Smothered in a robust homemade black olive tapenade, plenty of delicious good quality soft cheeses, some sautéed portobello mushrooms, and some jalapeños and fresh basil from my garden, this is a colorful and extravagant pizza loaded with wonderful flavors and textures. I served it to my husband and good friend Basil outside on the deck on a beautiful summer evening — good food, good people and good weather are all the ingredients you need for a perfect dinner.

The perfect results were also a tremendous relief after a rather disastrous crumbling pastry I had made for a rhubarb and strawberry pie just days earlier (delicious nonetheless). And dessert redemption soon followed with a beautifully executed pineapple upside-down cake too.

Homemade is the way to go, and my diners are asking for more. The best parts of making your own dough are that you can add different seasonings and spices into the blend, and that you can control the size and thickness of your pizza. The dough recipe below makes enough for two 12-inch pizzas, so after making this pizza I have enough dough in the freezer to make another round soon. Next time I think I will incorporate sun-dried tomatoes into the sauce and focus on Greek cheese or maybe another variant of my famous paneer pizza.

Begin by making the dough. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water, making sure the water is "bathtub" warm but not hot. Sprinkle in the yeast and stir gently for about a minute until it dissolves. If the yeast clumps, the water is too cold and the process should be restarted. Let sit in a warm place for 5 minutes or so until you have a smooth beige-colored mixture and a layer of bubbles forms on the surface.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of the flour with the salt and curry powder (if using). Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the yeast-water mixture and olive oil. Mix the ingredients together, beginning in the center and incorporating the flour from the sides of the bowl. Continue until a soft dough is formed.

Lightly flour a large cutting board or wood surface and dust your hands with flour. Knead the dough by pushing it away from you, folding it over, and moving it forward. Rotate the dough and continue. Add some of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour as needed until your dough is no longer sticky — about 5 minutes. Keep kneading for another 10 to 15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a well-oiled large bowl. Brush the dough with more olive oil and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, after which the dough should have doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings for the pizza. Combine the tapenade ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until a coarse paste is formed. Taste for seasonings, and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, toss in the mushrooms and sauté for 5 or 6 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to lose their moisture and start to "squeak" in the pan. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare a 12-inch vented pizza pan by lightly brushing it with olive oil and sprinkling with a light coat of cornmeal.

To finish the dough, punch it with your fist and divide into two portions. If making one pizza, reserve one of the portions by wrapping in plastic wrap and freezing for later use. Lightly flour a large cutting board or wood surface, and flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough out into a roughly 1/4-inch thick round shape, making sure the edges are slightly thicker than the rest of the dough. Add flour when needed to keep from sticking, and pick up the dough and turn several times to stretch. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and form a ridge around the edges with your hands.

Preheat an oven to 500° and move the rack to the second-from-top position. Brush the dough with olive oil and lightly scatter 1/4 cup of the cheese over top.

Spread the olive tapenade evenly over the dough. Top with tomato sauce, followed by most of the remaining cheese, mushrooms, onion and jalapeños. Scatter the last of the cheese over top and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is starting to bubbling and the crust is crisp and lightly browned.

Remove from heat and lightly brush the edges of the crust with a little more olive oil. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, cut into wedges, and serve hot or warm.

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 22 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.